Heartstrings
by HK Keiji
Summary: [Kankuro and Sakura] Kankuro's not like the other boys, what makes him think he might have a chance with Sakura?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer - **I don't own Naruto**  
**

* * *

**Title **Heart Strings  
**By **Hk Keiji  
**Pairing**: Kankuro and Sakura  
**Rating**: T - M

* * *

Gaara was lying on the hospital bed, his arms laid on top of his sheets on either side, motionless. He stared upwards at the ceiling with a blank expression. Despite the fact that Shukaku had already been extracted, he refused to let himself go to sleep. 

Kankuro had visited, and was now sitting quietly on his chair, leaning on the desk with his arms. He was carving something in his hands, out of a little block of dark wood with a small knife, letting the wood shavings curl up and fall onto the desk top without worry.

The door opened, and Kankuro looked up.

"Morning," The pink haired medic smiled, closing the door behind her. She walked into the room, breaking the silence as she ruffled through her folder of paper looking for Gaara's record and condition. She took out a pen and clicked it.

Gaara didn't look at her. He just kept staring at the ceiling.

"How are you?" Sakura asked, giving him a smile as she stood by his bedside. Still no reply from the ever silent Gaara. "I need to run some checkups, you know, the usual routine."

After a long uneasy pause that hung in the air, Gaara finally began to move. He sat up and shuffled his legs over, tossing the sheets aside. He sat on the edge of the bed and began to pull of his shirt, leaving it on his pillow. He hunched up and shivered slightly from the cold, the skin all over prickling. At least it was a sign that he was responding to his environment.

From the desk, Kankuro could see Gaara's back. Pale, flawless, and his body perfectly sculpted almost as if kami had carved him out of marble himself. Suffice to say, Kankuro always had been just a little jealous of his younger brother. He resembled his father, and he was frequently complimented for being a rather handsome looking fellow. Nowadays, now that Shukaku was extracted, alot of girls had began to have a crush on him. The proof laid in the hundreds of flowers in the other room.

Kankuro wondered briefly if Sakura, this pink haired medic, liked Gaara. It wouldn't be a surprise. She was a pretty girl, and Gaara was a pretty boy.

When Sakura had finished her check up, she nodded with approval. "You'll be able to leave hospital today if you'd like. I'm sure you'll be responsible enough not to strain yourself..."

Gaara got up silently and slipped his shirt back on. Sakura paused as she realized that Gaara was staring at her. Gaara, being the taller one, looked down into Sakura's eyes. For a moment Kankuro scolded himself for staring at Gaara staring at Sakura. Then, Gaara's lips moved, but Kankuro couldn't hear him. But he did see Sakura blush.

By accident, as Kankuro wasn't concentrating, his knife slipped and he scratched his delicate carving, nicking his finger slightly in the process. A thin line of blood engraved itself into the small piece of wood, staining it.

"Come on, Kankuro," Gaara said in a quiet and hoarse voice. He walked past Sakura, head lowered, and went outside.

Kankuro pushed the chair back out, making a horrible scraping noise. He felt his cheeks heat up as Sakura smiled at him and bowed. He smiled back, scratching the back of his head gear. "Uh, thanks for looking after... Gaara," He said, faltering as he was tempted to say 'little brother'.

Sakura looked up and smiled again, nodding. "That's alright."

Her head dropped back down to write something in her file, a blush covering her cheeks. Distantly, Kankuro wondered what Gaara must've said to made her blush. He quickly left the room, jogging slightly to catch up with his brother.

"What did you say to her?"

"Does it matter?"

Kankuro shrugged, fingering the ruined carving in his pocket as they walked down the hospital corridor.

"I... asked her to dinner," Gaara finally admitted.

"Oh," Kankuro said nervously, wondering what to say in reply to that. He chose to laugh a bit. "You fancy her."

"Does it matter?" Gaara repeated.

* * *

xx keiji 

kankuro and sakura, i just wanted to see what it would be like for the lesser-boy to fall in love... seeing how insignificant he is to gaara, sasuke and naruto. He's just... not good enough for her... (tear slides from eye) hehe,,, Read and criticize


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer - **I don't own Naruto**  
**

* * *

**Title **Heart Strings  
**By **Hk Keiji  
**Pairing**: Kankuro and Sakura  
**Rating**: T - M

* * *

"Gaara, I'm telling you, WEAR THIS!" 

Kankuro pressed a finger to his forehead as he heard Temari roar in Gaara's bedroom, trying to help him pick something out for his date with Sakura. He couldn't concentrate on his carving when his siblings were fighting over an insignificant piece of clothing,

He pushed his chair back from the desk, dropping his carving knife. Then, he went over to Gaara's room to see what all the fuss was about.

"Oh, Kankuro, good you're here!" Temari grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room, making Kankuro wince. "Tell Gaara he should wear this colour."

Kankuro glanced down at the deep red colour, a several shades darker than his crimson hair. He shrugged.

"I just want you to keep your voice down, I'm getting a headache," He grunted.

Temari folded her arms. "You better find yourself a nice girlfriend, then you'll understand," She fussed. Kankuro rolled his eyes. As if anyone would be his girlfriend. It was better to leave the future of the family to Temari and Gaara.

His sister however, forced him to sit down on the bed and wait til Gaara was changed.

Kankuro huffed, then looked up when Gaara came out of the toilet, clad in dark maroon and some dark faded jeans. His face, as usual, was expressionless, but only seemed to make him more handsome in a statue sort of way. His eyes never showed any emotion, and his hair was always the same bright red. Plus, his usual posture was the 'I don't give a damn what you do,' sort of look. Bad boy and pretty boy at the same time. And to be honest, Kankuro was slightly jealous that his brother had such nice skin.

Temari clapped her hands at the sight, smiling as if she were a mother to him.

"Sakura's a really nice girl, so _be good,_" She said warningly, at the same time giving him a kind look.

Gaara nodded slowly in response, then asked quietly, "What should I bring?"

It wasn't as if Gaara was unexperianced with dating girls. He was a local heart-throb, of course he knew how to handle girls. It was only because this girl was special that he asked for more advice. And Kankuro noticed this.

Sakura must be really important to him.

"...mmm, flowers. But not roses, maybe some pink flowers?" Temari suggested. "One pink flower?"

"I don't think I can get flowers..." Gaara muttered.

"It's only a first date, who knows what will happen anyway," Kankuro said, leaning back on his hands that sunk slightly into the bed that Gaara hardly used. "And don't you think it's a little cliche that you bring flowers?"

Gaara looked at him, sending an icy chill running up Kankuro's spine, before shrugging.

"Whatever. I'm going," And with that he proceeded to walk out of the room, sweeping past Temari and Kankuro. As he passed, Kankuro could almost smell a faint whiff of vanilla. It struck him that Gaara must be really trying to impress Sakura.

The sound of the front door closing indicated that he had left the flat.

"When are _you _going to get a girlfriend," Temari jabbed Kankuro in the chest with her sharp finger.

"Owch!" Kankuro yelled, rubbing the sore spot. "Maybe I do have one, and I'm just hiding her from my psycotic family."

"Hah, as if," Temari smirked, walking out of the room. "So, has Tsunade sent any word yet?"

Kankuro nodded, following her out ambling slowly. "Yeah, she said to come by tomorrow morning. I got the letter from the hospital yesterday."

"Ah, so she's finally realized you're the best poiseneer, eh?"

"Thats not even a word," Kankuro chuckled. "But yeah. I don't know what she wants me to do though."

"Sound's cool anyway... I'll be helping out with Shikamaru's squad," She giggled a bit. "He's sort of sweet, isn't he."

"What, as far as pineapple heads go... yeah I suppose."

Temari whacked him around the head.

Kankuro grinned and went back to his desk, sitting down with a sigh. He wriggled the chair a little foreward into a comfier position, picking up his carving knife again. He looked outside his window to his right, seeing a few people walking by lazily. Normal lives. Kankuro sometimes wondered what that would be like.

Then, after a moment of rest and refocusing his concentration, he returned to his carving.

Gaara didn't come home that night.

* * *

Going a little slowly, but NEXT CHAPTER THEY SHALL FLIRT... or thy shalt kisseth thus... 

eh

xx keiji


End file.
